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Featured Topic: How to Get Your Book Published

zeldas_lullaby wrote:I've got a book in the review system right now, and I plan to respond whether I get 4-stars or 1-star. Of course, my response will vary greatly from those extremes: either, "Wow, thanks for the great review of my book!" Or, "Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it more." Well, we'll see what happens.

Reviews4U wrote:When i review books, I get deeper in the literature and I get a deeper knowledge of what I am reading. I also become a better writer overall.

An excellent point. If we just read a book for the pleasure of it, we skim the surface sometimes. But if we're writing a conscientious review, we delve deeper into the book's structure, and comment on style, rhythm, dialogue, and so on. And this helps us focus on problems that we may have in our own writing, and correct them.

Most of my friends don't read as much as I do so I kind of look at writing reviews as an opportunity to discuss a book and knowing someone is actually listening. One of my biggest frustrations is reading a jaw dropping plot twist in a book and having no one to talk about it with. Reviews and the forums in general give me an outlet to discuss books. Writing reviews is new to me and while a little nerve-racking, I'm enjoying stretching my writing and critical thinking skills.

I also love the idea that if I just want to be alone and read for a while, I can simply say that I have some work to do and disappear without anyone bothering me

My most recent reviewing "job" has been to write reviews for a mystery website. It works as standard reviewers do -- my editor sends her reviewers a list of available books and we get the copies mailed to us to keep, which is the major-high pay that I get, ha ha. It works for me, as I'm a private detective novelist anyway and so reading mysteries works greatly to my advantage, learning what to do and more important, what NOT to do.

Most of the reviewers for the site come and go and when they're there, they seem to love "cozy" mysteries, particularly the AD type. For those who don't know, a "cozy" is the Agatha Christie type, all intrigue and very little outrageous violence or mayhem, and the "AD" is the amateur detective, like Miss Marple. I myself cannot stand those books and so they're snapped up by the other reviewers, leaving the blood-soaked type all for me, ALL FOR ME!! heh heh

Years ago I wrote professional book and movie reviews for a daily newspaper and typical of that type of work, I was paid $25 per review. Not exactly retirement income. Few reviewers get actually paid, and their comp is to keep the books, which is just fine for me. I give 'em to friends and keep those special few for my own "liberry".

Worst about writing reviews is that I dearly want to give away plot elements via spoilers but never do, having vowed to not fall into that spoiler's role. So I write about the theory of the book, the themes, the characters and reveal no secrets. I dearly love writing and so I really enjoy writing these reviews. It's a fun enterprise and it gets my name out to others, and I've also formed a nice relationship with a few fairly well known authors. All plusses. And being a very fast reader, I can do maybe 2 books a week on good times.

As a little note for others, here's a recent review, by permission of my editor -- please comment as you choose:

Famed author Stephen Hunter, creator of the modern and gun-friendly Bob Lee Swagger adventures, departs from his expected genre to tell a story about Jack the Ripper. And we’re fortunate for his decision, because I, Ripper is an exceptionally thrilling and fascinating novel.

The book juxtaposes a “found diary” from ol’ Springheel Jack himself that’s interspersed with commentary from “Jeb,” pen name for a reporter for the London Star who covered the Ripper case. Now, two decades later, Jeb plans to reveal his experiences to the world.

As a modest “ripperologist” myself, I’ve read quite a few books about the murders, and Mr. Hunter’s novel is by far the finest fictionalization extant. The author researched his story extensively to provide precise and accurate background information, not just regarding the Ripper case, but also the Victorian era during which the crimes were committed, its self-aggrandizing sense of order and stability, together with its vain efforts to impose this faux presence upon the rapidly fading empire. Such a mood of purpose is critical for understanding this first class novel, because the book clearly explains how this series of murders, albeit brutal but only five in number, so fixated the British populace, particularly the establishment.

This is not to say that I, Ripper is a scholarly treatise. Far from it. It’s a gripping narrative, both via Jack’s own journal and reporter Jeb’s account of events, a novel that evokes the common blurb that it is “difficult to put down” but here, it’s quite true.

As the murders unfold and captivate the newspaper readers, Jeb’s editor gives him the liberty to not only report on the Ripper, but to embark upon a search for the killer’s identity. All the stereotypes are quickly dispensed with, such as a Jewish tailor or immigrant butcher, and the deepening investigation leads Jeb into personal danger as he and an associate follow various suspects. Whether they discover the Ripper’s identity is of course a mystery in itself, and not to be revealed here. That would constitute a spoiler of enormous wrong to the prospective reader.

I, Ripper is essentially flawless. Those particularly interested in Jack’s terrible reign (“ripperologists”) will find new information and become entranced in the book’s discoveries, while those who are simply mystery fans will be highly entertained all the same. The novel is literate, intelligent, and exciting throughout, a perfect balance between the diary and memoirs, paced just right, neither changing voice too quickly or slowly.

As might be expected, some of the scenes are extremely graphic, so highly sensitive or younger readers are forewarned. Nevertheless, these depictions are not egregious, but simply literal depictions of the murders themselves and the squalid conditions of the Whitechapel district in which they were perpetrated.

Mr. Hunter is a superb author but his I, Ripper hits the ball out of the park. This is a novel to be savored, enjoyed, and re-read with renewed pleasure each time.

The fact that I get the opportunity to read a book thoroughly and then render my sincere service to the author by giving out my opinions about the book and even the author. I feel awesome to be able to do this.

What I like most about book reviewing is the fact that a book review reveals the good and the worst about a published book, thereby letting the author know how to improve his writing and I am always glad when I review a book because I contribute to the writing world also.

-- 14 Nov 2017, 10:41 --

What I like most about book reviewing is the fact that a book review reveals the good and the worst about a published book, thereby letting the author know how to improve his writing and I am always glad when I review a book because I contribute to the writing world also.

As a lifelong voracious reader, I LOVE that instead of reading for free like I did for *cough*
years, I can get paid to do something I love so much. As an aspiring writer, I also really like sharpening my own writing skills and way with words; it takes quite a bit of work to personalize each review and not come off as though they're "cookie cutter" reviews.

My favourite part about reviewing is I get to read books I wouldn't necessarily have heard about or picked up otherwise. I get to read a wider variety of things - though my parents prefer it in that I'm not using as much money to buy books *sigh* because these are downloadable.